I photographed this Windryder Gyroplane (N532WE) at the Tillamook Air Museum. This was the prototype for the Windryder Gyroplanes. Unlike a helicopter, a gyroplane gets power from a propeller that pushes the plane forward and the free-rotating blades on top create lift as they spin. A gyroplane cannot take off vertically as it needs forward movement to cause the top blades to spin.
The most famous gyrocopter was “Little Nellie” designed by RAF Wing Commander Ken Wallis, featured in the James Bond movie “You Only Live Twice”